Site Proposals

separate pieces come together:

mosaic for duke's first labor union

by Catherine Farmer

The Duke Employees Benevolent Society was created by workers in February 1965 and was led by civil servant Oliver Harvey. The labor union (later recognized as the Local 77 chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees or AFSCME Local 77) was organized in response to Duke’s refusal to pay their workers the federally mandated minimum wage. The union, largely comprised of black women, demanded wage increases, and improved the work conditions and medical benefits for all employees. Although written off as a spontaneous burst of student activism, the Silent Vigil of 1968 was provoked by both the death of Dr. King and by AFSCME’s tireless efforts as they brought to light the injustices that workers faced. Yet even with this triumph, the union was not recognized on campus until 1971.

​Staff members’ contributions to life and general advancement at Duke are grossly overlooked. Memorials dedicated to workers make up a tiny proportion of all existing sites on campus. An installation commemorating Duke’s first labor union would not only remind staff members that they are an integral part of life on campus, but it would also legitimize all future efforts to unionize.​

Image courtesy of the Duke University Archives

The proposed installation is a mosaic situated at the Bovender Terrace at the Divinity School. It will retell the inception of Local 77 by depicting its seal. This symbol will cast its rays upon Black protesters in uniforms, depicting their essential contribution to this movement. At the front, there will be a faceless figure marching onwards, hinting at future possibilities for student-staff cooperation and relationships.